Trepidation Times Ten: The Challenge
by allikitty699
Summary: My take on the iPod Shuffle Challenge, AKA the Holy Crap How Can I Do This? Challenge. Shassie, will probably be no more than T rated. Will post as a series of ten chapters.
1. If You Come Back to Me

**A/N: HOLY EFF. This is a hard challenge. I'm starting that "music shuffle" challenge: you listen to ten random songs and write drabbles based on them, and you can only write within the time span of that song. I'll be honest, this is my second attempt: my first one was unusable. I think I panicked a little. This time, though, my brain just seemed to yell, "BITCH, I GOT THIS," and went to town. (I actually have to continue the challenge tomorrow, but this is the first one.) I hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any songs that are used or **_**Psych**_**.**

"If You Come Back to Me" by Bowling For Soup

Carlton sat beside the phone, waiting for it to ring. It already had, to be fair – eight times in the last hour – but he couldn't bring himself to pick up. He couldn't stand to hear that voice, no matter how much he used to love it. That sweet, "Hey there, Lassie-face," couldn't possibly bring the same smile to his face as it always had before. Instead, it would just make him feel empty and alone.

He ran his hands through his hair. He didn't know which was a worse idea – dating Shawn in the first place, or asking the other man to marry him. He always thought that, were he ever to marry again, it would be well-planned, right down to the very last detail. He never imagined that he would propose with a cheap plastic ring from a gumball machine in the middle of a grocery store like some kind of romantic comedy cliché. Still, it seemed okay. It was _Shawn_, the man who lived and breathed pop culture. Wouldn't that kind of proposal be just the thing he wanted?

No. Of course it hadn't been. It had just scared the younger man onto his motorcycle and a few thousand miles away.

Carlton couldn't bring himself to pick up the phone, listen to Shawn's empty explanations. Nothing could bring back what they'd had, and he couldn't bear to give himself that kind of hope.

**Please read and review! Comments are always appreciated. :D**


	2. Back in Black

**A/N: Second drabble. Dear God. This challenge is incredihard. I've written a few – debating on whether or not to post them all or just the good ones. I hope you like them, no matter what I do. **

"Back in Black" by ACDC

"You know, I kinda like this." Shawn smoothed the front of his suit jacket. "I feel like I'm in _Men In Black_. I call Will Smith."

"You can't call the black guy!" Gus sputtered. "You know I automatically get all the brothers."

"And how is that fair?"

Gus sighed. "Tie your tie, Shawn."

"Why? It looks cool like this." He gestured to the tie slung around his neck. "Maybe I should open a few buttons. Go all 'devil-may-care' on this. What do you think? Maybe I should skip the tie and jacket altogether, like the BeeGees."

Gus shook his head. "Of course. You can't be serious, even today."

"Especially not today." Shawn grinned, but it seemed forced. "Hey… Just wondering…"

Gus smiled. "Yes, Shawn. It's normal to be nervous on your wedding day."

"Hey." A knock sounded on the door, and Henry poked his head in. "Shawn, tie your tie, you look like an idiot." He went to shut the door, but then added, "Hey, kid?"

"Yeah, Dad?"

"Congratulations." Henry grinned proudly. "Lassiter is one lucky man."


	3. Violence

**A/N: This gets just a little easier every day. :D Or maybe I'm just writing out my frustrations from work and the holidays. (I accidentally snapped at my boss today. THAT'S how bad it was.) I'll be posting a couple of these, because some of them turned out pretty well. I hope you like them!**

"Violence" by Blink 182

Shawn couldn't say that his relationships were perfect. After all, nothing ever is.

There was Frank, the 42-year-old doctor he'd dated when he first graduated high school. He tossed Shawn down the stairs and tended to the injuries himself so no questions would be asked at the hospital.

Then there was Bobby. Bobby liked two things: drinking and fighting. After a few rounds, he liked to go smack around a punching bag. Or Shawn. Whichever was available.

Next was Stephen. Stephen was a firefighter who smoked. His cigarettes somehow always managed to miss the ashtray and hit Shawn's arms instead.

After that was Jim. He was the worst. Shawn couldn't remember a lot of his fights with Jim, because he was knocked unconscious for about half of them.

Now there's Carlton Lassiter. Loud, growly, mean, and snarky. He talks down to Shawn and gets into long-winded arguments with him on a daily basis. Through the nights, he holds Shawn in his arms gently, almost afraid that he might break him, and whispers, "I love you," into Shawn's ear every morning.

All said and done, that was Shawn's favorite kind of imperfect.


	4. School's Out

**A/N: I'm curious: would you guys like to see this expanded into a full fic? Because I'm really considering making it a longer story; it would be a juxtaposition of Shawn and Lassiter's teenage years. What do you think?**

"School's Out" by Alice Cooper

"I know guys like you, Lassie," Shawn said calmly, looking deep into Lassiter's eyes. "In high school, you were the hall monitor, the teacher's pet, the kid who sat alone and ate lunch in the library. In college, you were the RA, the guy who called the cops on all the parties. Right?"

Lassiter's expression didn't change, even though a million images were flashing through his mind. Making out with the quarterback of the high school football team in the locker room. Smoking a joint with the janitor in the broom closet. Helping his buddy do a keg stand at a frat party while still making out with the guy who he later had a threesome with.

Shawn smirked. "I know I'm right, Carly. Guys like you are all the same."

Lassiter smiled calmly. "I guess you're right, Spencer. You really got me pegged."


	5. One Two Step

**A/N: I did two of these that were very similar: this, and the one based on "Cupid Shuffle." I liked this one a bit more; the ending was cleaner. I hope you guys like this as well – I've never written a "dialogue-only" piece, but I really enjoyed it.**

"One Two Step" by Ciara

"This is ridiculous, Spencer."

"Aw, c'mon, Lassie. You let Gus teach you how to dance."

"Guster taught me how to _tap dance_. That'd completely different. I don't know how to dance like _this_, or, as you put it, 'make it rain.' What the hell does that even mean?"

"Just do it! It'll be really fun, I promise. You think tap dancing is a good time, you'll love this."

"What kind of music is this? This sounds like something people in prison listen to."

"If people in prison like getting down, then sure."

"What – Goddammit, Spencer, there's no way in hell I'm doing that!"

"What?"

"I'm not… shaking my ass around like that."

"Why not? Do you just prefer watching me shake mine?"

"…"

"Lassie?"

"I'm leaving. Thanks for nothing."

"Aw, c'mon, Lassie! If you're good, I'll teach you how to grind!"


	6. Aquaman's Lament

**A/N: This is a thing. This song. For real. I own two of OVER TWENTY songs about Aquaman, the worst superhero in the Justice League. Why? I don't know. All I know is that this song is great, and seriously reminded me of Lassiter.**

"Aquaman's Lament" by Mark Aaron James

Carlton, would always say that, if he were any superhero, he'd be Aquaman.

Aquaman was a little bit pathetic. His abilities were pretty cool – he could speak to fish and everything – but definitely paled in comparison with those of Superman or Wonder Woman. Who could he really save? A dolphin? Whoo hoo.

That's how Carlton felt at the department. He was good at his job. He got things done. Or at least he had, until Spencer came in. Suddenly, he became the laughingstock of the bull pen, and Superman Spencer twirled and teased his way into everyone's heart.

Still, Carlton would say that he had one thing Aquaman never had. Aquaman had never slammed Superman up against a wall and kissed him senseless. Aquaman had never had Superman on his knees and begging. And Carlton was willing to bet anything that Superman had never staggered out of Atlantis at five in the morning, his ass still sore courtesy of Aquaman's impressive "powers."

Yeah, Carlton thought, looking at the sleeping Shawn. He was a lot luckier than Aquaman.


	7. Dirrty

**A/N: Wow. So, lots of stuff has been going on the past few weeks, and I'm sorry to all of my readers, be they HP or Psych, for the delays. This one was a relatively quick update, and I figured I could do this pretty easily. I don't know when I'll be updating next, but it should be soon, with any luck.**

**I LOVE this song, and this artist. This is a relatively silly drabble, but I had a lot of fun writing it. I hope you like it!**

"Dirrty" by Christina Aguilerra

Shawn wasn't easily embarrassed, but it happened on occasion. And, of course, it always had to happen around Lassiter.

"Spencer, what the hell is this?" Lassiter was staring at the phone in his hand. Music was blaring from it – Shawn had left it playing on his desk while he got up to get some Cheetos. He stopped dead in the middle of the Psych office, feeling warmth creeping into his cheeks.

"Uh, nothing."

"Doesn't sound like nothing." Lassiter smirked. "What is this crap? Some terrible dance junk from the late nineties? Not that I've ever been impressed by your choice in music, but I'm actually a little disappointed in you."

Shawn knew he was blushing, and he had to admit, he was feeling pretty disappointed in himself at the moment. "Well, it's not… bad. I mean, she's actually a really good singer."

"Oh, well, that makes it better." Lassiter rolled his eyes. "You know, Spencer, I knew you had awful taste, but this really puts the final nail in the pathetic coffin."

Shawn rubbed his eyes. Even he couldn't deny how lame it was to be in his thirties and listening to this stuff.

Lassiter shook his head. "I can't believe you listen to Christina Aguilerra," he said with a snort. He made his way toward the door, but Shawn's voice stopped him.

"Lassie… How did you know it was Christina Aguilerra?"

**Please read and review! :D **


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